News

Time to enter the WCQS Ticket to Ride Summer Raffle is running out! Midnight tonight is the deadline! Let's put the pedal to the metal and make this raffle a success! For $50 you can help support WCQS and you may win one of our fabulous prizes! Be a winner today and enter now!

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners is set to approve the county 2013-2014 fiscal year budget. The $337 million spending plan includes a significant increase in the county property tax rate. David Hurand spoke with Mt. Xpress reporter Jake Frankel about the budget.

The flow of public money for candidates running for the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the State Supreme court is coming to an end. The state budget that the Republican controlled General Assembly is expected to approve eliminates funding for the judicial candidates. David Hurand spoke with the Executive Director of the Institute for Southern Studies, which publishes Facing South and Southern Exposure, Chris Kromm about the demise of public financing of judicial races.

The first Asheville Autism Pride Week runs June 16th-through June 22nd. David Hurand spoke with one of the events participants Dave Spicer. To see the full schedule of Autism Pride Week events visit their web site.http://autismprideweek.org

We've had an overwhelming wonderful response when we announced our upcoming trip Rediscover Cuba - A Cultural Exploration. So much so, we added a second trip to Cuba next spring. Both trips initially sold out, but we now have a few spaces on the trip departing February 18, 2014. The spaces won't last long, so be sure to sign up now if you are interested.

It's been a record setting wet Spring for much of Western North Carolina. David Hurand spoke with Atmospheric Sciences Professor and WCQS weather expert Ed Brotak about why the region has seen so much rain and the June to November Hurricane Season.

Asheville City Council has made it clear it will not drop the city's legal challenge of a state law that transfers control of the Asheville Water System to the Metropolitan Sewerage Distrct and a Regional Authority. David Hurand spoke with Mt. Xpress Senior News Reporter David Forbes about the will of council and a recent email exchange between members of the local delegation to the General Assembly and Mayor Terry Bellamy.

It's official - Western North Carolina loves Peter Sagal and Carl Kasell. Tickets for the August 1st Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! show at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium went on sale Thursday June 6th and sold out the very next day!

Tony Kiss takes a look at the Arts and Culture scene in Western North Carolina. High on his agenda, lots and lots of live theater, an Art Walk, free music from the porch of the Thomas Wolfe House, and a couple of new movies.

It has been a couple of weeks since the North Carolina Senate sent its' version of a new state budget to the house. While many lawmakers have focused much of their attention on the budget and proposals to overhaul the state tax system, Republican members of the General Assembly from Buncombe County have been busy introducing bills that directly effect local government. David Hurand spoke with Asheville Citizen Times reporter Mark Barrett bout the unusual number of bills that hit close to home...

WCQS is bringing Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! the oddly informative news quiz from NPR back to Asheville August 1st. Tickets went on sale at 10 am June 6th and are almost sold out as of Friday afternoon, June 7th! Get yours before they're gone!

An Asheville Public School teacher has been named a recipient of the Yale University Distinguished Music Educator award. David Hurand spoke with Ruben Orengo about the honor and his career as a musician and teacher.